Course on natural clays in Val Posina (Vicenza) Italy
Organized by: Danilo Rigon

Teacher: Danilo Rigon
Location: Val Posina in the province of Vicenza Italy
duration: about 14 hours, divided into two days.
date: Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30, 2024.
Price: Euro 230.00.

Why a course on natural clays?

Natural clays have characterized ceramic production in various regions and areas of Italy since ancient times. Wandering around our countries, one can find areas of production of different types of ceramics: specializing in the production of stoves, majolica, ornamental objects in white earthenware or porcelain. Think of how the colors of the roofs of old houses vary, those same tiles remind us of the type of clay mined nearby, when transportation was more complicated and local resources were used.

This course is aimed at those who wish to rediscover knowledge of their territory and its history, but above all at the intelligence of the body that learns through its hands.
Watching the nature around us in silence, reading the morphology of the landscape, sensing the movement of the elements, these are the fundamental characteristics of the “clay hunter.”

PROGRAM

Saturday morning we will learn about how clay is formed in nature, followed by a photo exhibition and a display of clay samples and tests made in five years of studies in Italy. Then lunch can be either packed or eaten in typical restaurants, known for the famous Posina gnocchi.

In the afternoon, excursion to search for clays in the surrounding area. We will read about the morphology of the landscape, flora and fauna indicating their presence, first tests on site. We will then take the clays to the laboratory to refine and process them. In the evening we will fire small thin samples that will be fired overnight.

On Sunday morning we will proceed with the preparation and use of slip, with two types of clay: one collected the previous day and one commercial grade, to see how the result changes. Various types of plaster molds will be available for these tests.

In the afternoon we will take the pieces out of the kiln to analyze the result, after which, timing permitting, we will move on to other types of processing to see how the collected clays can best be used.
PROGRAM

Saturday morning we will learn about how clay is formed in nature, followed by a photo exhibition and display of clay samples and tests made over five years of study in Italy. Then lunch can be either packed or eaten in typical restaurants, known for the famous Posina gnocchi.

Afternoon excursion to search for clays in the surrounding area. We will read about the morphology of the landscape, flora and fauna that indicate its presence, first tests on site. We will then take the clays to the laboratory to refine and process them. In the evening we will fire small thin samples that will be fired overnight.

On Sunday morning we will proceed with the preparation and use of slip, with two types of clay: one collected the previous day and one commercial grade, to see how the result changes. Various types of plaster molds will be available for these tests.

In the afternoon we will remove the pieces from the kiln to analyze the result, after which, timing permitting, we will move on to other types of processing to understand how the clays collected can best be used.

Topics covered:

•    1. Reading the morphology of the landscape

•    2. Field research

•    3. Flora and fauna indicators of its presence

•    4. How to test clay in situ

•    5. Dry or wet refining

•    6. Preparation of the dough

•    7. Preparation of slip for casting

•    8. Various tests to learn about the various characteristics of the clays

•    9. Drying and firing

At the end of this course we will discover that there are several in nature that can meet our needs. The knowledge will not be scientific or manualistic-a few chemical formulas-but sensory, and it will be mostly through our hands.

Il ritrovo sarà sabato mattina alle ore 09.00 nel parcheggio vicino al laghetto di Posina o quello in Via Roma. 

Per iscriversi al corso telefonare a Danilo Rigon 338 4947775
Per informazioni sul posto e l'ospitalità a Rita Gonella: 350 0180670